Therapeutic Massage and Utility Gloves for Handling Animals

ABSTRACT

A pair of massaging gloves is provided for therapeutically massaging a horse. The gloves have a hand member, a plurality of finger members, a thumb member and a plurality of massaging projections. The finger members are secured to an upper portion of the hand member, and the thumb member is secured to a side portion thereof. Massaging projections protrude from the inner hand surface of the gloves along the end of the fingers and thumbs. Another grouping of projections is centrally secured along an area corresponding to a user&#39;s palm. The gloves may be used to provide a variety of massage therapies to a horse or similar animal, thereby building trust between the handler and the animal. The gloves are also adapted to permit a user to perform manual labor tasks such as shoveling hay, moving horse tack, and training the horse without removal of the gloves between activities.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/433,573 filed on Jan. 18, 2011, entitled “Massage Therapeutic Glove.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hand implements, gloves and therapeuticmassage devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to apair of gloves with raised projections along the finger and palm regionfor providing therapeutic massage to a horse.

Horse trainers and stable personnel have to perform a variety of tasksduring the course of a workday. Some tasks are associated with the careand training of a horse such as feeding, brushing, and cleaning ofhooves. Many of these duties require proximity to or touching of ahorse. Horses, like many animals, are usually uncomfortable withstrangers being close to them or touching parts of their body. Toincrease trust and build a bond between a staff member and a horse,staff members use light touching that is gradually increased inintensity and duration. Patting and rubbing a horse can be a good way ofcalming the animal and building trust. Therapeutic massage may be usedto calm a horse, provide physical therapy, and strengthen therelationship between a horse and a trainer.

Similar stable duties for horse trainers and stable workers includeshoveling of hay, cleaning stalls, moving feed and hauling horse tack.These tasks can wear on a user's hands due to friction, causing blistersto develop. Work gloves may be worn to reduce the risk of injury to thehands while performing manual labor tasks, however, these gloves areoften made of rough or thick material that may result in unpleasantsensations if used to contact or rub a horse. To prevent work glovesfrom abrading the coat or skin of the animal, staff members must removethe gloves prior to physically interacting with the horse. A dualpurpose glove is therefore needed that permits a horse handler toprovide pleasing physical interaction with a horse and still performmanual labor tasks in a barn or horse stable environment without removalor replacement of a single pair of gloves.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The prior art contains a variety of massage glove devices for massagingpeople or animals. These devices have familiar design and structuralelements for the purposes of massaging the skin of a person; howeverthey are not adapted for multiple tasks, in particular the tasks ofmassaging a horse or performing manual labor in a horse stableenvironment.

Dean, U.S. Pat. No. 6,401,252 discloses a massage glove having a gloveportion, a plurality of balls, and a vibration assembly. The glove has ahand portion, a plurality of finger portions and a thumb portion. Theplurality of balls is movably disposed along the inner surfaces of saidfinger and thumb portions. A vibrating assembly is operably secured tothe glove so that when the vibration assembly is activated the pluralityof balls vibrates. This vibration of the movable balls may relax tensemuscles and produce pleasing sensations when rubbed on a person's skin.The user may turn the vibration assembly on and then proceed to massageanother person in an effort to relax the second person. The movablydisposed balls and vibration assembly are not adapted for use withlifting, hauling, and other strenuous activities. These elements of Deanare likely to be delicate and are therefore not suitable for use duringmanual labor tasks in a barn. Furthermore, the gloves of Dean do notdisclose massaging nodules disposed on the palm area of a glove.

Spence, U.S. Pat. No. 7,707,654 discloses a massage glove having a glovemember and a plurality of pads disposed thereon. The glove member has aplurality of finger portions and a thumb portion. Pads are disposedalong the ends of the finger and thumb portions and along the palm ofthe glove member. The pads comprise a pocket filled with beads and aresilient contoured member disposed on the top surface of each pad. Whena user dons the glove device and rubs the skin of another person, theresilient contoured members move as the beads beneath it shift around.This shifting motion can result in a variety of sensations on the skinof a person being massaged. The sensation may help a person relax andbecome less tense. If exposed to harsh environments or strenuous use,the bead pockets could become damaged or rupture, this makes the glovesof Spence unsuitable for working with horses or performing manual laborin a barn or stable. Additionally, Spence does not disclose therapeuticnubs secured directly to the surface of a glove, like those of thepresent invention.

Norton et al, U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,719 discloses a massage glove having aglove portion and a plurality of contoured pads. The glove portion has ahand portion, a plurality of finger portions and a thumb portion. Acontoured pad is disposed at the end of each finger portion and thethumb portion. The contoured pads consist of a pad having a plurality ofsmall soft nubs disposed about its surface. When rubbed on the skin,these nubs stimulate the skin surface and may provide tension relief.Norton does not disclose individual nodules secured to the surface ofthe gloves. The pads of Norton are not disposed along the surface of theinner palm of the glove, like those of the present invention.

Ongwela, U.S. Pat. No. 6,669,657 discloses a hand covering such as amitten or glove. The device has a hand portion, a plurality of fingerportions, and a thumb portion. Friction areas are disposed at the endsof the fingers and along the base of the lower palm. The friction areasare smooth hemispherical projections secured to the surface of theglove. Additional friction areas are disposed on the back of the fingerportions. The large projections on the lower palm would make itdifficult to grasp and hold objects using a natural grip because theshape and size of the projections prevents the fingers from curling intothe palm area. This limitation would make it difficult to hold a horsebridle, a broom or any other thin object. The projections of the presentinvention are disposed on an inner portion of the palm to allow naturalgrip by the fingers and thumb and therefore make the device useable formanual labor in a barn or stable environment.

The devices disclosed by the prior art do not address the need forproviding a massaging glove device that may be worn and used as workgloves. The current invention relates to a dual purpose device formassaging horses and performing manual labor in a barnyard or horsestable environment. It substantially diverges in structural elementsfrom the prior art; consequently it is clear that there is a need in theart for an improvement to the existing massage gloves. In this regardthe instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types ofmassage gloves now present in the prior art, the present inventionprovides a new massage and work glove having a plurality of durableprojections thereon, wherein the projects can be utilized for providingconvenience for the user when massaging a horse, and the gloves isdesigned for performing manual labor. The device comprises a handmember, a plurality of finger members, a thumb member, and a pluralityof massaging projections on the interior region of the device. Thefinger members are secured to an upper portion of the hand member andthe thumb member is secured to a side portion of said hand member suchthat the combination results in a glove hand covering.

Disposed on the palm and finger underside surface of the glove are aplurality of massaging projections. At least one projection is disposedat the end of each finger member and the thumb member. Additionalprojections are disposed along a central portion of the hand member,corresponding to the placement of a user's palm. These projections arecircular, upstanding nubs for creating relaxing sensations when rubbedagainst or along the body of a horse. The nubs may be constructed from avariety of materials to suit the needs of individual horses and providea glove having projections that is suited for manual labor. Some horsesmay prefer to be massaged by soft gel filled projections while otherhorses may like the deeper stimulation resulting from a solid, smoothprojection. In an alternative embodiment, the projections on the palmregion may be substituted for textured areas. In either embodiment, theuser should have full range of motion and be able to curl the fingersinto the palm area to assume a natural grip.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved animal massaging glove having all of the advantages of theprior art and none of the disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedanimal massaging glove having projections disposed on the fingers andpalm to stimulate the skin and muscle tissue of an animal, and inparticular a horse.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved animal massage glove that provides a user with the ability tomassage a horse and perform manual labor with the same appliance.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved animal massaging glove allowing a user to curl the fingers intothe palm and thereby assume a natural grip on objects.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new andimproved animal massage glove having resilient and durable constructionto provide wear resistance and prevent blister development during manuallabor activities.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

The above invention will be better understood and the objects set forthabove as well as other objects not stated above will become moreapparent after a study of the following detailed description thereof.Such description makes use of the annexed drawings wherein like numeralreferences are utilized throughout.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pair of animal massaging gloves ofthe present invention, as shown from an upper and lower side.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the present animal massaging gloveswhile being used to massage a horse.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like referencenumerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similarelements of the animal massaging glove device. For the purposes ofpresenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, thepreferred embodiment will be discussed as used for massaging a horse orfor performing manual work in a barnyard or horse stable. This is forrepresentative purposes only and should not be considered to be limitingin any respect.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a pair of animal massaginggloves for stimulating the skin and muscles of a horse. The device has ahand member 11, a plurality of finger members 12, a thumb member 13, anda plurality of massaging projections 14. The hand member has upper andlower surfaces corresponding to the back and palm of a user's hand.Along an upper portion of the hand member 11 is secured the plurality offinger members 12. The thumb member 13 is secured to a side portion ofsaid hand member 11. The securement of the thumb 13 and finger members12 to the hand member 11 results in a glove adapted to receive andretain a user's hand and act as a glove hand covering that form-fits theuser's hands. This glove may be constructed of any durable material suchas rubber, a tough cloth, or a resilient synthetic fabric that isadapted to be comfortable to the touch, both from the inside andexterior of the glove, while also allowing manual labor activities andpreventing injury to the user engaged in the same. The glove may furtherbe lined with a soft material to increase the comfort to a user.

A plurality of massaging projections 14 is disposed along lower surfaceof the glove, wherein these lower portions correspond to the undersideof a user's fingers and a central portion of the user's palm. The end ofeach finger member 12 and the thumb member 13 has a massaging projection14 secured to the glove surface. A user may move the finger projectionsalong a horse's skin to exert focused pressure on specific areas. Alonga central region of the palm area a grouping of massaging projections 14are secured to the glove surface. The palm projections are provided forapplying gentle, general pressure to a horse. Palm projections should bepositioned and sized to permit a user to curl the fingers into the palmand make a fist. This allows a user to assume a natural grip on objectssuch as a horse bridle, stable equipment or parts of a horse. Naturalgrip is essential for ensuring that the hands do not slip if a horseattempts to pull away. The device therefore permits a user to performessential stable and barn tasks while the gloves are being worn. Anygeometrical shape may be used for forming the projections such ascircular, hemispherical, conical or the like.

The layout of the projections is preferably at the distal end of eachfinger and thumb along the underside of the user's hand, and alsogrouped within the interior portion of the user's palm. This layoutallows a user to grasp items, such as rakes, horse reigns and othertools without having the projections modify their grip or create contactdiscontinuities between the item and the user's hand. The gloves areadapted to allow the user to securely grasp and apply uniform pressureonto a tool or article without interference from the projections. Theunderside area of each finger and thumb, up to the distal phalanx(distal tip portion), is free of any projections, allowing unencumberedgrip and pressure application on an grasped article, wherein the surfaceof the fingers and thumb may be firmly pressed thereagainst for improvedability to grasp and manipulate implements. This is particularlycritical when operating tools in a manually laborious environment. Theends of the finger allow pressing of buttons, while the gripping area ofthe hand is not drastically changed when gripping articles, tools orinstruments. At the same time, the projections at the distal ends ofeach finger and thumb, along the inner portion of the hand and alongpalm, allow the user to gently stimulate, massage and calm an animalbeing handled. The ability to calm the animal and develop a bond isnecessary for the user to control and direct the animal to performcertain tasks or remain at ease when required. In this way, the glovefunctions as a work glove having therapeutic features that facilitatethe handling of animals, and in particular horses. Farmhands, horsehandlers and veterinarians would all benefit from the use of such aglove. The protection afforded the hands improves its utility, while theprojections provide a specific function for the purposes of calming orsoothing an animal.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of the animalmassaging gloves being used to massage a horse. The gloves are worn onthe hands of a user, wherein the gloves conform to the user's handfeatures in a snug and comfortable, yet protective and functionalmanner. The user rubs the hand member 11 and finger members 12 along thebody surface of a horse. The pressure exerted by a user's fingers, andtherefore the stimulation input from the raised projections, may bevaried based on the user's input. A user may choose to use rhythmic,swirling, tapping, undulating or any other type of therapeutic motionsthat relate to a soothing sensation or provide a calming nature to thetarget animal. The palm area may be rubbed in circles or otherwisemanipulated to provide gentle pressure on the surface of the skin.Different techniques may be displayed along different areas of a horse,wherein the horse will respond to different types of massage therapyapplied. Over time the practice of massaging the horse builds confidencein the horse that strengthens the relationship between the animal andtrainer or handler. In this manner, the animal massaging gloves areuseful not just for physical therapy for a horse, but also forfacilitating bonding of an animal and trainer.

The preferred embodiment of the device includes massaging projectionsthat are circular and gel-filled. The gel filling results in a soft,distortable nodule that provides gentle pressure when rubbed against ahorse's skin. As the nodules are compressed, they deform slightly,applying a pressure that is easily felt by the animal without causingdiscomfort or pain. In an alternative embodiment, the massagingprojections may be made of a firmer material such as thick rubber. Thesefirmer projections can facilitate penetration of the massagingsensations into deeper layers of the horse's skin and muscle tissue.Some horses may prefer the soft projections while other horses may findthe firm projectiles more soothing. Racing horses or those animals thatare particular active may require deep tissue massaging to remove knotswithin the muscle tissue, which may facilitate the need for firmerprojections and increased application pressure. In another alternativeembodiment, the projections may be substituted with contoured areas. Thecontoured areas may comprise patches of thin rubber ridges, smallgroupings of nodules, or any other texture that might provide pleasantstimulation to a horse.

In use an individual dons the animal massaging gloves and places his orher hands on the body surface of an animal, and in an example case, ahorse. The user then begins to rub the hands gently in a circular orstroking pattern. The fingers may be wiggled, undulated or otherwisepressed into the skin and muscles of the horse to apply pressure andtactile therapy. In areas of tension, such as shoulder and hip joints,it may be desirable to press the fingers firmly against the skin of thehorse to affect tension relief in deeper layers of skin and muscle. Thespeed and type of motion used to massage the horse will depend on theanimal. As a trainer bonds with the horse, he or she will have a betterunderstanding of what therapy techniques are pleasing to the same. Oncethe massage therapy is complete, the user may return to performingroutine tasks around the barn or stable without having to change his orher gloves. The placement of the projections allow the user to grasptools without interference, wherein indiscriminate placement of theprojections would interfere with the user's grip and detract from his orher ability to perform tasks with tools or similar objects. Theirstrategic placement is a key component to providing a glove thatprovides both massaging and work-ready elements, without compromisingeither function. The construction of the glove is ideally one that iscomfortable to the user and the target animal, while preventing thebuildup of friction that leads to blisters or sores on the hands of theuser. The gloves should be form-fitting, with little slack. Thisprovides improved tactile feedback for the user and the animal, andallows improved handling of work objects. The exact material and textureis not limited to a specific material family or construction, it isalternately desired to disclose the utility of the glove whilecontemplating glove material that suits its intended function. It wouldbe obvious to one skilled in the art of gloves what material may beparticularly suited for the present invention purposes.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized thatthe optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, toinclude variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and mannerof operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obviousto one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to thoseillustrated in the drawings and described in the specification areintended to be encompassed by the present invention.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of theprinciples of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications andchanges will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is notdesired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operationshown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications andequivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of theinvention.

1) A therapeutic massage and utility glove combination, comprising: a hand member having an upper surface corresponding to the back of a user's hand, and a palm region corresponding to a user's palm; a plurality of finger members secured to an upper portion of said hand member; a thumb member secured to a side portion of said hand member; said hand member, finger members and thumb members adapted to conform to a human hand; a plurality of massaging projections, a first grouping of said massaging projections being disposed at a distal underside region said finger members and thumb member, a second grouping of said massaging projections being disposed at a central portion of said hand member lower surface. 2) The device of claim 1, wherein said massaging projections are gel-filled. 3) The device of claim 1, wherein said massaging projections are smooth rubber nodules. 4) The device of claim 1, wherein the massaging projections are hemispherical nodules. 5) The device of claim 1, wherein the massaging nubs are circular and have a flat upper surface. 6) The device of claim 1, wherein said second grouping of massaging projections comprises textured patches. 